Street food and It’s Craze: Question is Craze or Crave?
Who doesn’t want to try Indian snacks? Nowadays it is also popular amongst foreigners too. The most intriguing fact is that people just crave or eat it as necessity.
Indian street food is a treasure trove of flavors and textures, reflecting the country’s diverse culinary heritage. Here are some must-try Indian street foods:
• Pani Puri/Golgappa: These are small, round, hollow puris filled with a spicy and tangy mixture of tamarind water, chickpeas, potatoes, and spices. You pop the entire puri into your mouth for an explosion of flavors.
• Vada Pav: Originating from Maharashtra, vada pav consists of a deep-fried potato patty (vada) served inside a bread roll (pav) with chutneys such as tamarind and coriander-mint.
• Chaat: A broad category of savory snacks, chaat can include items like bhel puri (puffed rice mixed with vegetables and tangy chutneys), sev puri (crisp puris topped with potatoes, onions, chutneys, and sev), and dahi puri (puris filled with yogurt, chutneys, and spices).
• Samosa: Triangular pastry pockets filled with spiced potatoes, peas, and sometimes minced meat, then deep-fried until crispy. They’re often served with tamarind chutney or mint chutney.
• Kathi Roll: A popular street food from Kolkata, kathi rolls consist of a paratha or roti filled with a variety of fillings such as spicy grilled chicken, paneer tikka, or kebabs, along with onions, sauces, and sometimes eggs.
• Pav Bhaji: A Mumbai favorite, pav bhaji is a spicy vegetable mash (bhaji) served with buttered bread rolls (pav) and garnished with onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
• Jalebi: A sweet treat made by deep-frying wheat flour batter into pretzel or circular shapes and then soaking them in sugar syrup. Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, jalebis are best enjoyed hot.
• Dosa: Originating from South India, dosa is a thin, crispy crepe made from fermented rice and lentil batter, usually served with coconut chutney and sambar (a lentil-based vegetable stew).
• Aloo Tikki: Fried potato patties seasoned with various spices, often served with chutneys and sometimes with chickpeas or yogurt.
• Chole Bhature: A North Indian dish consisting of spicy chickpea curry (chole) served with deep-fried bread (bhature). It’s a hearty and flavorful combination.
These are just a few examples of the rich and diverse world of Indian street food. Each region of India has its own specialties, so be sure to explore and try as many dishes as you can!
